Transfer truck



Aug. 1934- H. F. MARTIN 1,969,419

TRANSFER TRUCK File d Jan. 26, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

Mia:

A TTORNEY.

H. F. MARTIN TRANSFER TRUCK Aug. 7, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1931 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES PAT NT or ice 7 Application January 26,1931, Serial No. 511,199

3 Claims. (c1. 214 1s.1)

This invention relates to transfer trucks and an object of the invention is to provide a truck which may be moved in either direction along a predetermined path and on which mechanism is mounted for discharging a tray from either side thereof or for moving a tray from either side thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character on which both the propelling mechanism for the truck and the discharge mechanism for the tray is mounted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a truck, on which a pair of rollers are mounted capable of being moved in a predetermined path for engaging a tray for moving the same onto or discharging it from the truck.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is of relative low height thus permitting the ceilings of the building in which it is installed to be of relative low height thereby cutting the cost of construction of the same to a minimum.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a floor plan view of a building equipped with my device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the truck.

Fig. 3 is a sideelevational view thereof show ing a tray mounted thereon. I

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the tray engaging mechanism. 7

Referring now to the drawings it will be seen that the building 1 is provided at eachend of the bay 2 with the elevator shafts 3 and 4 for carrying automobiles or the like from one floor to another. The building 1 is provided with the ofiset portions 5 and 6 for receiving respectively the trays 7 and 8. It is to be understood that the trays '7 and 8 may be constructed as desired but are here shown as comprising the longitudinally extending channels 11 mounted upon the cross beams 12, the same carrying the wheels 13 for riding on the tracks 9 or 10, the same being secured to the floor of the building.

The truck 14 is constructed of the longitudinally extending beams 15 connected at their ends by the cross beams 16 and intermediate their ends by the channel beams 1'7, the same being spaced apart an amount equal to the spacing of the wheels 13 on the trays 7 and 8. The beams 17 are further in vertical alignment with the tracks 9 and 10 so that any one of the trays '7 or 8 may be rolled by suitable mechanism, to be later Qdescribed, onto the truck 14.

A pair of longitudinal extending beams 18 are positioned parallel to the beams 15 and in spaced relation thereto and are connected at their ends 1-60 to. the lower face of the beams 17. A pair or" cross beams 19 extend between the beams 18 adjacent onexofthe cross beams 17 and have mounted thereon the plates 20. In like manner a pair of cross beams2l are positioned near the other cross beam 17 and have. mounted thereon the plates 22.

The arm 23 has one end pivotally mounted on one of the plates 20 and a similar arm 24 has one end pivotally mounted on the other plate'20. The (in) opposite. end of the arm 23 carries the idler sprocket 25 while the opposite end of. the arm24 carries the idler sprocket 26. A sprocket 27 is mounted on the longitudinal center line of the truck 14 and is carried in suitable bearings pro- W5 vided' in'the casting 28 extending between the beams 18. A sprocket'chain 29'is carried by the sprockets'25, 26 and 27 andtwo of the links in the chain are provided withthe extensions 30 on which are pivoted the arms 31, the other ends'of the same being joined together and carrying the roller 32 for a purpose to bellater described. A

similar device is provided on the o taposite'side of the center line of the'length of the-truck and comprises an arm 33 pivotally mounted on one of the plates 22, the opposite end of the arm carrying the sprocket 34. An arm 35 is pivotally mounted on the opposite plate 22 and the outer end of the same carries the idler sprocket 36;

A sprocket 37 is mounted on the centerline of the truck 14 in suitable bearings provided'in the casting 38 extending between the beams 18; A sprocket chain 39 is carried by the sprockets 34,

36 and 37 and the extensions 40 are secured to two of the links of the chain to which the ends of the P arms 41 are pivotally attached, the outer endsof the same being connected together and carry the roller 42in close proximity to thero ller 32. An electric motor 43 is secured to one of the'lon'gitudinally extending beams 18 for rotatingthe r00 drive shaft 44 extending from each end of the motor 43. One end of the drive shaft 44 through suitable gearing (not shown) operates the sprock-- et gear 27 while the opposite end of the shaft 44 operates the other sprocket 37 also through suit- 105 able gearing (not shown). A pair of electric motors 45 are mounted onthe truck, one adjacent each end thereof and drive the wheels 46-through a suitable train of reduction gearing to propel the truck 14 along the rails 47, the same being se- ""110 cured to the floor of the building and extending from the elevator shaft 3 to the shaft 4.

By referring to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that the beams 11 of the trays 7 and 8, nearest the truck 14, have secured thereto the channel shaped members 48 comprising the legs 49 and 50 and it will be further seen that when the sprocket chain 29 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction the sprocket chain 39 will be rotated in a clock-wise direction and the rollers 32 and 42 will engage respectively the legs 49 of the members 48 and move the tray 7 onto the truck 14, the wheels 13 of the tray riding in the channel beams 17 providing a trackway on the truck for the tray. When the sprocket chains 29 and 39 have moved sufiiciently to move the rollers 32 and 42 to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 movement of the chains will cease and the tray 7 will have been moved onto the truck 14 until the longitudinal center line of the tray coincides with the longitudinal center line of the truck. When it is desired to discharge the tray '7 from the truck 14 the direction of rotation of the two sprocket chains 29 and 39 will be reversed and it will be seen that the rollers 32 and 42 will engage against the legs 50 of the respective channels 48 and will move the tray from the truck 14 into the offset portion 5, the tray rolling on the pair of tracks 9 to which the truck has been aligned. The chains 29 and 39 will continue their movement until the rollers 32 and 42 have reached the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 whereupon rotation of the motor 43, driving thesaid chains 29 and 39, will stop, either automatically or manually as desired.

If it is desired to move a tray 8 from the .oii'set portion 6 of the building, the movement of the chains 29 and 39 will be reversed from that described thereby moving one of the trays 8 onto the truck 14.

The complete operation of the device is as follows: When it isdesired to move an automobile from the elevator in the shaft 3 onto any one of the trays 7 the motors 45 will be set in motion thereby rotating the wheels .46 thus causing the truck 14 to be moved along the rails 47 until it has come into alignment with the desired tray 7, whereupon rotation of the motors 45-will be stopped, either manually or automatically. The motor 43 will then be put in motion and one of the trays '7 will be moved onto the trackway 17 on the truck as heretofore described. The motors 45 will again be put in motion and the truck moved to a point in close proximity to the elevator shaft 3 and stopped. The automobile will then be rolled onto the channels 11 of the tray and locked in place by suitable means, not forming any part of this invention. The truck 14 will then be rolled back until it has come into alignment with the pair of tracks 9 from which the tray '7 has been removed. The tray will then be rolled onto the tracks 9 by the mechanism heretofore described and the rollers 32 and 42 returned to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2, whereupon the device is ready for use again either to remove an auto mobile from one of the offset portions 5 or 6 or to store another one therein.

From the foregoing description'it becomes evip dent that I have provided a transfer truck that is capable ofv discharging a tray from either side thereof and since the power is applied to the tray, to move the same either from, or onto the truck, at two points, and parallel to the line of travel of the tray no binding action can take place between the tray and the tracks on which it is riding. It is further evident that the device may be easily and quickly operated to store automobiles or the like on either side of the line of travel of the truck.

Having thus, fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A device of the character described comprising a truck, means on the truck for moving the same in either direction, a plurality of trays positioned on either side of the line of travel of the truck and each provided with a'roller engaging portion, a pair of sprocket chains po-"1100 sitioned on the truck, each provided with a roller movable in a horizontal. plane, means on the truck for moving the same whereby movement of the chains inone direction will cause the rollers on the same to engage one of the trays F to move the same onto the truck, and reverse movement of the chains will move one of the trays from the truck. I

2. A device of the character describedcomprising a truck, means on the truck for moving 1310 the same in either direction, a plurality of trays V positioned on either side of the line of.-travel of the truck and each-provided with a roller engaging portion movable in a plane parallel to vthe supporting surface of the. truck, a plurality of sprocket chains positioned on the truck, each provided with a roller, means on the truck .for moving the chains, the same being so arranged that movement in one direction'will cause the rollers to engage one of the trays to move the ago same onto the truck, and reversemovement of the chains will move one of the trays from the truck.

3. A device of the character described comprising a truck and a tray, means on the truck for moving the same in a predetermined path,

a trackway on' the truck extending at approximately a right angle to the path of movement of the truck, rollers on the tray riding in said trackway, means carried by the truck including a sprocket and chain, means'carried by the chain to engage complemental means provided therefor on the tray for causing movement of the tray along its trackway from the truck or to engage the tray. at one side of the truck to move 1:35

(it thereon, and means for operating the sprocket and chain.

HENRY F. MARTIN. 

